George herrmann



G. HERRMANN. RACK ATTACHMENT FOR THEATER OR OTHER CHAIRS OR SEATS.

No. 454,351. Patented June 16,1891.

INVENTOR- 69. 5%

Br /Q ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HERRMANN, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

RACK ATTACHMENT FOR TH EATER OR OTH ER CHAI RS OR SEATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,351, dated June 16, 1891. Application filed November 4, 189 0. Serial No. 370,340. (No model.)

T to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HERRMANN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rack Attachments to Theater or other Chairs or Seats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists in a swinging and autom atically-closin g rack of novel construction and'adapted to be attached to the backs of chairs orseats in theaters, public halls, and other places, the same embracing a combination of parts whereby the rack may be used for holding the hat, overcoat, or outer garment and umbrella or cane of a person occupying the seat or a seat in the rear thereof, substantially as hereinafter described, and

more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a View in perspective of a theater or other like chair or seat having my improved rack applied and as holding a hat, overcoat, and umbrella. Fig.2 is a plan of said rack closed against the back of a chair, as when not in use. Fig. 3 is a plan view of said rack in its open position, as when holding the different articles shown and referred to in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the back of the chair in part with the attached rack in its closed position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same with the rack in the same position as in Fig. at and as seen from its innor end. Fig. 6 is a side view of the rack in part, as from its outer end, in illustration of its support of the hat.

A indicates a theater or other like chair of the ordinary or any suitable construction. The rack B, attached to the back thereof, may

be made of iron, nickel-plated, and be ornamental as well as useful. Said rack is here shown as composed of three leading parts, to wit: a loop-shaped umbrella-holding-rack section or portion 12, a coat-holding bowed rail section or portion 0, and an approximately upright hat-holding projection or portion (1. These sections or portions are all united with each other, and the umbrella-holding portion Z; is connected at its one end, as by a wrist c, with the one end of the coat-holding rail or portion 0, which in its turn carries at its opposite or outer end the upwardly-projecting hat-holder or'hat-hook (Z. The whole rack extends across the back of the chair and is connected at or near the one end of the latter by a pivot-joint f, which permits of the rack swinging outward, as from its outer endth at is, away from the back of the chair when the rack is in use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or of being closed at its outer end up against the back of the chair when the rack is not in use, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The pivot-joint f at the inner end of the rack is made with a bracket g, bolted or otherwise secured to the back of the chair, and said joint is made askew or set inclining upward toward the back of the chair, as clearly shown in Figs. at and 5, whereby the rack is self-closing and remains closed up against the back of the chair by gravitation, aided by the weight of the hatholder d when itthat is, the rack-is not in use, thereby adjusting itself out of the way or not offering any serious or objectionable ob struction to persons passing along the aisle or passage-way between adjacent chairs, one row behind the other. This is the normal position of the rack; but when the latter is in useas, for instance, to hold an umbrella 0 down within its looped portion 1), overcoatD down within and over the rail portion 0, and hat E on the projection or portion dsaid rack may then be adjusted or adjusts itself by the weight or crowding of such articles or certain of them Within or carried by it away from the back of the chair, and when in this its opened position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, said rack is held from further swinging outward andmade to retain the articles it carries by engaging a hook-shaped catch h, pivoted to the one side of the chair at its back with or over the outer end of the rail portion 0. Upon lifting or releasing this catch after the coat or different articles have been removed from off or out of the rack the latter then automatically closes itself, as hereinbefore described.

The hat-holder (Z is of hook-shaped construction at its upper end, whereby a stiff hat may be readily and firmly suspended by the curl in its brim on or from it, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and to be as readily detached when it is required to remove the hat.

Attached to the leg of the chair nearest to the pivoted end of the rack and beneath the umbrella-holding portion Z2 thereof, as by an attached bracket i, is a drip cup or receptacle 5 It, 1n which the tip end of the closed umbrella is allowed to rest, and which serves, in addition to keeping the umbrella in place, to collect drip from the umbrella, if wet, and so keep the floor or carpet thereon from becomlng wet. Said cup is hooks onto the bracket z, so that it may be removed, when required, to empty it of Water.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The herein-described hat, coat, and umbrella rack for chairs, consisting in the attaching-bracket, the rack B, pivoted thereto and having a small curve or bow at its hinged end to receive an umbrella, a larger or garment-holding bow or curve on the same side of the rack, and an upward-projecting hatholder at the outer end of said larger bow or curve, substantially as set forth.

2. In rack attachments to theater and other like chairs or seats for holding removable articles of wear or use, the combination of a bracket adapted to be attached to the back of the chair at or near its one end, a self-closing swinging rack arranged to move in an approximately horizontal plane in pivoted connection by an inclined joint with said bracket and provided with an upwardly-projecting hat-hook at or near its outer end, and a catch adapted to engage with said rack when thrown open or away from the back of the seat, substantially as herein described.

GEORGE HERRHANN.

Witnesses:

LOUIS H. KROPP, ALBERT M. ALLEN. 

